Governor Abbott Highlights Fentanyl Poisoning Deaths Decrease In Texas
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~ In a recent press release, Governor Greg Abbott announced that the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has reported a significant decrease in fentanyl-related poisoning deaths over the past year. According to the data published on the Texas fentanyl data dashboard, there were 430 fewer deaths due to fentanyl poisoning in the last 12 months compared to the previous year, representing a nearly 20% decrease.

Governor Abbott credited this positive trend to the state's comprehensive "One Pill Kills" campaign, which was launched in 2021 with the aim of raising awareness and educating Texans about the dangers of fentanyl. The campaign included various efforts such as directing state agencies to increase their anti-fentanyl efforts, passing and signing critical laws to address the fentanyl epidemic, launching a multimedia campaign that reached over 1.5 billion people, and partnering with college football coaches to raise awareness at high school football games.

The DSHS data shows that from August 2023 to July 2024, there were over 1,900 deaths due to fentanyl poisoning in Texas compared to more than 2,360 in the previous 12 months. This marks a significant decrease after five consecutive years of increases. In fact, from 2019 to 2023, fentanyl-related poisoning deaths in Texas had risen by over 600%, claiming the lives of more than 7,000 innocent Texans in just four years. However, it is important to note that this data is provisional and subject to change.

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Last year, Governor Abbott unveiled the Texas fentanyl data dashboard as part of the "One Pill Kills" campaign. The dashboard provides easily accessible information about fentanyl-related deaths over time and includes breakdowns by age, sex, and geography.

In addition to these efforts, earlier this month Governor Abbott issued a proclamation declaring October 2024 as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month. He also partnered with Texas college football coaches to release a new "One Pill Kills" video that is being played at high school football games across the state during Friday Night Lights, in an effort to educate young Texans about the deadly consequences of fentanyl.

Governor Abbott also highlighted four pivotal laws that were signed last year to combat the growing national fentanyl crisis. These include House Bill 6, which creates a criminal offense of murder for supplying fentanyl that results in death and enhances penalties for manufacturing or delivering fentanyl. The bill also requires deaths caused by fentanyl to be designated as "fentanyl toxicity" or "fentanyl poisoning" on death certificates, as opposed to being classified as an overdose.

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House Bill 3144 establishes October as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month, while House Bill 3908, also known as Tucker's Law, requires public schools to provide instruction on fentanyl abuse prevention and drug poisoning awareness to students in grades 6 through 12. Finally, Senate Bill 867 allows the distribution of opioid antagonists, such as NARCAN, to Texas colleges and universities in order to prevent opioid poisonings.

Governor Abbott expressed his gratitude towards the people of Texas for joining in the fight against the fentanyl epidemic and having open conversations with their loved ones about this deadly drug. He reassured that Texas will continue its efforts to combat this nationwide crisis and protect innocent lives from being lost to the scourge of fentanyl.

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